Hood fastener



June 27, 1933. c. R. HENNICKE HOOD FASTENER F1188 Jan. 9, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet; l

W X WVE TOR i June 27, 1933. c. R. HENNICKE HOOD FASTENER Filed Jan. 9, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

W INVEyljlTOgi Patented June 2?, 118%? CARL TUBING core HELJITICKE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASEIGNOR- TO THE EBERHARD MAIFIUFAC- NY, OF CLEVELAIID, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO HOOD FASTENER Application filed. January 9, 1932. Serial No. 535,689.

motor vehicle wherein the hood is composed of three units comprising a fixed side panel at each side of the hood and a top member made of one piece or of two pieces h nged along the center of the hood, but its use 1s not confined to this particular adaptation.

Automobiles employing the threepart hood as above described are generally motor busses or other commercial vehicles. In this type of hood the location of the hood fastener brings them into considerable prominence and the appearance of the hood fastencr is particularly imliiortant as it effects the appearance of the vehicle as a whole. More over, on this type or vehicle the location of the hood fasteners is at approximately the height of the shoulder of the average man. Since it is necessary to operate them by reaching over the fenders, the usual straight pull type fasteners as heretofore commonly employed on vehicles is not convenient.

The present inrention contemplates a fastener having a lever action to compress the spring whereby the operation of the fastener even at the height and position above indicated is relatively easy.

The present invention, moreover, provides a fastener of neat appearance wherein the various parts can be constructed at a minimum cost without sacrificing strength or durability.

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents a sectional view through an automobile hood of the type having a fixed side panel and a movable top panel, the fastener being shown in side elevation with the parts in the closed position;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the position of the parts upon release of the fastener;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the fastener shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure l of a slightly modified construction;

Figure 5 is a front view of the fastener shown in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 of still another slightly modified form of the device.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, A designates the fixed side panel of a motor vehicle hood and B designates the movable top part of the hood. The edges of the panels A and B overlap and are reinforced in the conventional manner. On the inside of the member B is a reinforcing flange or strip C against which the top edge of A is adapted to bear for the purpose of holding the sheet metal side panel A from buckling in when the member B is clamped down under pressure. This arrangement is a conventional arrangement for hoods of this character and comprises no part of the present invention.

Secured to the member B above its lower edge is a catch plate 2 having an outwardly extending hook portion 3 thereon. This plate is bolted or riveted or otherwise secured to the hood member B.

Formed in the panel A below the top edge thereof is a vertically elongated opening or slot 4. A U-shaped bracket 5 is secured to the panel A in juxtaposition to this slot. I have shown the yoke 5 as having outwardly turned ear portions 6 which bear against the outside of the panel A, and bolts 7 are provided for securing the yoke to the panel. Slidably supported by the yoke 5 inside the hood is a rod 8 having a compression spring 9 around the lower end thereof, this spring being confined at one end by the yoke 5 and being confined at the other end against a washer 10 on the rod 8. I have shown a cotter pin 11 for holding the washer in position on the rod.

The rod 8 carries an arm 12 which extends through the window or slot 4, this arm being secured to the rod for movement therewith. @ne convenient way for securing the arm 12 on the rod 8 is to provide a pin 13 passing through the arm and the rod. Pivotally secured to the outer end of the arm 12 is an operatin lever 14. This lever may be made of pressed metal or may be formed by casting.

16a, which side flanges are extended at the lower end to provide spaced apart ears 16b, is connected to the hand lever 14 by means of a pin 17 which passes through the ears 16?) and through the side flanges 14a of the lever 14.

In other words, the hand lever 14 has a bifurcated extension formed by the ears 14?) which straddle the arm 12, and the link 16 has a bifurcated extension through the provision of the ears 16b to straddle the hand lever 14. The upper end of the link 16 is turned over at 16c, and in the upper end portion of the link 16 is a transverse pin 18. The closed end16c of the link 16 is adapted to extend over and embrace the mounting plate 2 and its hook 3, the transverse pin engaging in the hook 3.

When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2 the link 16 may be lifted clear of the hook 3 to allow the hood B to be lifted, or permit the panel A to be removed where the hood B is not ordinarily movable and the panel A is removable. When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2 and it is desired to clamp the hood down, thehand lever 14 is pulled down, the hand lever rocking on the pivot 18. As it is pulled down, it forces the arm 12 upwardly, which in turn pushes the rod 8 up, puttingthe spring 9 under compression. As the hand lever 14 is forced down, the point is reached where the pivot 17, the pivot 15 and the transverse pin 18 are all in line. The hand lever 14 has a slight overcenter movement past this position to the position shown in Figure 1, when the end of the lever 14 bears against the side of the hood. Preferably the lever carries stops 140 to engage the hood so that the finger loop will be clear of the hood. In this position the spring 9 is under pressure, tending to move the rod 8 down. This tends to hold the hand lever 14 in close to the hood panel A and exerts a yielding pull on the link 16, the upper end of which is engaged in the hook 3. The spring 9, because of the lever arrangement which is provided, may have considerable strength and through the arrangementshown produces a powerful holding down action on the hood B, but at the same time it is yieldable-to the extent required in any hood fastener. In releasing the fastener the lever 14 of course is swung out toward the position shown in Figure 2, tending to move the arm 12 down and lift the link 16 up, so that, as previously stated, when the parts are in the ,down link, instead of comprising a channelposition shown in Figure 2, the hold-down link 16 may be swung clear of the hook 3.

As shown in Figure 3, the hold-down link 16 and the operating lever 14 conceal all the other parts of the fastener so that only these parts need be provided with a high polished finish. The fact that the member 16 is channel-shaped in cross-section, as is also the greater portion of the length of the leverll, further conceals the parts and makes the P fixtures of neat appearance.

In Figure 4 I have shown a somewhat cheaper form of fastener embodying the same general arrangement, but wherein the holdso shaped member, is in the form of a loop or clevis. In this form of the device, 20 designates the bracket for supporting the sliding rod 21 which operates the spring 22 corresponding to the spring 9 of Figure 1. Se cured to the rod 21 is an operating arm 23 projecting through a slot 24 in the hood. The operating lever is designated 25 and it has side flanges 26, so that the lever 25 embraces the outer end of the arm 23, the outer end of the arm being turned upwardly as shown in Figure 4. The arm 25 is pivotally connected to the outer end of the arm 23 at 27. The hold-down link comprises a loop or bail member 28 having terminal portions 29 which are bent inwardly to engage holes 36 in the side flanges 26 of the operating lever 25. The upper end of this loop or bail is flattened, as indicated at 31, to engage the hook 32 on the fastener plate This arg rangement has all of the mechanical advantages of the construction previously described but is of a cheaper construction and the appearance is not as good, although, by reason of the fact that the operating lever 25 is provided with side flanges 26, the opening 24 through the side of the hood panel is concealed when the fastener is closed.

Instead of making the operating lever oi. channel-shape cross-section, the modified form of lever shown in Figure 6 may be employed. In Figure 6 the bracket on the inside of the hood is designated 35. The hood panel A has a slot 36 through which this k bracket projects, and the ends of the bracket 1 are turn-ed over as indicated at 37 to engage the outside of the channel. have shown the panel recessed, as indicated at a, to receive these portions 37 of the bracket, so that the end portions of the bracket are flush with C the outer surface of the panel. A slide rod 38 is provided with a compression spring 89, as hereinbefore described, and carried on this slide rod is the operating arm 40.

In the constructions previously described I have shown the operating arm as being secured to the operating rod by a transverse pin. Instead of using a fixed connection as previously shown, it is contemplated that the Y upper end of the rod 38 shall be of increased ture.

diameter, as indicated at 38a, providing a shoulder at 38?), which bears against the 111 per surface of the operating arm l0. When the operating arm l0 moves down, the spring 39 operates to urge the rod 38 down at the same time, and when the operating arm i0 is moved up it pushes against the shoulder'38l) to lift the rod 38 against the compression of the spring This arrangement has a slight advantage from an assembly standpoint and of course can be utilized'in any of the modifications previously described.

The operating arm 40 has upwardly off-set terminal portion ll. The operating lever is designated 42 and it has ears 4E3 thereon to embrace the portion ll of the arm it", the two being pivotally connected by a sleeve and pin arran ement 44, as previously described.

The operating lever is also provided, intermediate its ends, with ears 45. The ends t the hold-down link or bail 46, of the type shown in Figure 5, are engaged in these cars and retained in place by cotter pins the inner ends thereof. The upper end of the link 46 is adapted to engage a hook 47 of the hold-down plate l8.

In this construction the operating lever 42 conceals very little of the mechanical struc- It is accordingly contemplated that the operating arm &0 may carry a sliding plate d9 which rests against the panel A for closing the slot 36 in the panel, and thus concealing the slot and the mechanism back of the slot.

While I have il ustrated various embodi ments of myinvention it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made i The invention provides a holddown device or hood fastener which, because of the internal location of the spring and the system of levers employed, produces a powerful but resilient hold-down action, making the device particularly desirable for use on commercial vehicle bodies. Atthe same time it is a structure that ca. be operated much more easily than the customary hole-down device where the hold-down device has to be ifted into engagement with the hold-down hook or plate, and this is particularly true on vehicles where the hold-down fasteners are at the shoulder height of a man.

I claim:

l. A hold-down device of the class described comprising a bracket member adapted to be mounted on the inside of a hood panel or the like, a reciprocable rod carried by the bracket, a spring arranged to actuate the rod in one direction and to be actuated by the rod when the rod is moved in the other direction, an operating arm on the rod adapted to project through a slotin the hood panel on which the device is mounted, an operating lever pivotally attached at one end to the outer end of said arm, a hold-down link pivotally connected to the operating lever intermediate its ends, and a *atch element for cooperation with the hold-down link.

2. A hold-down device of the class described comprising a bracket member adapted to be mounted on the inside of a hood panel or the like, a recii n'ocable rod carried by the bracket, a spring arranged to actuate the rod in one direction and to be actuated by the rod when the rod is moved in the other direction, an operating arm on the rod adapted to project through a slot in the hood panel on which the device is mounted, operating lever pivotally attached at one end to the outer end of said arm, a hold down link pivotally connected to the operating lever intermediate its ends, and a catch element for cooperation with the hold-down link, the operating lever having an over center movement to its operative position.

3. A holddown device of the class described comprising a bracket member adapted to be mounted on the inside of a hood panel or the like, a reciprocable rod carried by the bracket, a spring arranged to actuate the rod in one direction and to be actuated by the rod when the rod is moved in the other direction, an operating arm on the rod adapt cd to project through a slot in the hood panel on which the device is mounted, an operating lever pivotally attached at one end to the outer end of said arm, a hold-down link pivotally connected to the operating lever intermediate its ends, and a catch element for cooperation with the hold-down link, the pivotal connection between the operating arm and the operating lever being in a plane more distant from the hood panel than the point of connection between the holddown link and the operating lever when the parts are in position to hold the hood down, whereby the hold-down link exerts an over-center pull on the operating lever to urge it in against the panel of the hood.

4. A hold-down device of the class described comprising a bracket member adapted to be mounted on the inside of a hood panel or the like, a reciprocable rod carried by the bracket, aspring arranged to actuate the rod in one direction and to be actuated by the rod when the rod i moved in the other direction, an operating arm on the rod adapted to project through a slot in the hood panel on which the device is mounted, an operating leverpivotally attached at one end to the outer end of said arm, a hold-down link pivotally connected to the operating lever intermediate its ends, and a catch element for cooperation with the hold-down link, the hold-down link and the operating lever having side flanges for substantially enclosing and concealing the operating arm and the slot in the hood through which the operating arm projects.

5. A hood fastener comprising an operating lever and hold-down link adapted to be positioned on the outside of ahood, a spring mechanism adapted to be mounted on the inside of an automobile hood, and an operating arm adapted to pass through the hood for supporting the operating lever and transmitting motion between the lever and the spring.

6. A hood fastener comprising a holddown link and operating lever adapted to be positioned on the outside of the hood, a spring mechanism adapted to be positioned on the inside of the hood directly under the operating lever, and means passing through the hood and concealed by said lever for transmitting motion between the spring mechanism and the operating lever.

7. The combination with an automobile hood panel, of a hold-down mechanism com prising an operating lever and hold-down link positioned on the outside of the panel, a spring mechanism positioned on the inside of the panel, and an operating arm passing through the panel directly back of the lever and concealed thereby and connecting the spring mechanism with the operating lever.

8. The combination with an automobile hood panel having a slot therein, a bracket secured to the panel adjacent the slot, a rod member reciprocally carried in the bracket on the inside of the panel, a spring arranged to be compressed by movement of the rod member in one direction and to move the rod member in the opposite direction, an arm on the rod member passing through the slot, an operating lever having one end pivotally connected to the operating arm, said operating lever being on the outside of the hood panel, and a hold-down link on the outslde of the hood panel pivotally connected to the operating lever intermediate the ends of said lever.

9. A hood fastener mechanism comprising a hold-down link having side flanges thereon and having cars at one end thereof, an operating lever having side flanges thereon and having its intermediate portion embraced by the ears of the link member, a pivotal connection between the ears of the hold-down link and the operatin lever at a point intermediate the ends of the operating lever, an operating arm under the hold-down link pivotally connected to the lever under the hold-down link, a bracket member, an operating rod carried by. the bracket member and on which the operating arm is carried, and a spring arranged to move the rod in one direction and to be actuated by movement of the rod in the other direction.

10. A hold-down device of the class described comprising a supporting bracket, a rod member slidably carried in the bracket, a spring arranged to resist movement of the rod in one direction and to urge the rod to move in the opposite direction, an operating arm on the rod, said bracket being adapted to be mounted on the inside of a hood panel, theoperating arm being adapted to project through a slot in the hood panel, an operating lever having one end pivotally connected to the outer end of said arm, a hold-down link pivotally connected to said operating lever intermediate its ends, and a slide plate carried on the operating arm and adapted to close the slot in the hood panel through which the arm operates.

11. A hood fastener comprising a catch plate adapted to be secured to one panel of a hood and having a hook portion thereon, a hold-down link having enclosing flanges thereon adapted to fit over and enclose the catch plate and having means thereon for engaging the hook of the catch plate, an operating lever to which the hold-down link is pivotally connected at a point intermediate the ends of said lever, said lever also having side flange portions thereon throughout a portion of the length of the lever, an operating arm pivotally connected to one end of the operating lever, and a spring mechanism cooperating with the arm adapted to be positioned on the inside of a hood panel, the operating arm being adapted to extend through a slot in the hood panel, the flanges on the hold-down link and the operating lever being arranged to conceal the slot in the hood and the operating arm as well as the catch plate when the parts are in position to hold the hood closed. a

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENNICKE. 

